Sunday, June 18, 2006

Pain and expectation

I am finding myself increasingly detached (and seemingly paradoxically) more deeply able to engage in the present.

When somebody labels something as pain, we develop an expectation that it'll be "bad". But if we just describe as intense, then it is what one makes of it. Perhaps good, perhaps bad, perhaps neither. True detachment, it seems, requires observation, without labels, without expectation.

Yesterday at the launch, I accidentally stepped into a hole (while holding half of a seventy pound boat, of course) and took the path of least resistance. Oh, I flow like water. Rather than twist some joint that isn't made to twist while making an off-balance recovery, or dropping the boat, I went down, scraped an ankle on the edge of the concrete stepping into the hole, and my other knee and foot as they landed.

So if something is observed without labels, then what?

I was on my feet in a second, of course I was okay, no, I didn't need to rest. Changed into pants afterward to go out for dinner, and thus forgot about my incident until much later in the evening. Realized my delinquency and rushed into the bathroom to mend my oversight. The sensation of properly washing my abrasions was intense, but not painful, even refreshing.

Then, it seems, it is as it is, and seen as such.

3 comments:

Jim said...

You are right, what you bring to an event does color the event, for worse or better. Taken 'fresh', a virgin experience, things are different. That is refreshing to the one having the realization, everytime. But, it is a small thing, there are bigger fish to fry.

I assume you are calling 'bringing something to an event that colors it' a 'label'? Never thought of that thing, that way. Labels were names, not ideas. Where did that idea come from, do you think?

I know, it comes from one place.

I am glad you are alright, glad that the pain was refreshingly understood, it was still 'pain', or is that wrong, that calling it something else, made it different in actuality? It was an injury to your system, you felt the system speak, you interpreted it freshly, right?

Have you heard of a 'drama Queen'?

You weren't a drama Queen about it.

Many are, bringing much to an event, whether pain or pleasure, but they bring it for another reason, not to define the event, but for 'ego'. Making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Glad you are well, take care of the cuts and scrapes and be more careful next time, lol.

CE said...

It's satisfying to feel sensations as they are happening, even if they are painful. To feel emotions even if they are sad.

anonymous julie said...

Jim, a label, or an expectation; words represent ideas, concepts. Just a few scrapes, good reminders really. I suspect that everybody my age has heard of a drama queen - I'm not one, but would rest if needed.

Experiencing this, here, now, afresh, is wonderful. You see bigger fish? Fry them, then, and enjoy it!

Imemine; it's good to feel something, yes.